60 
A CORNISH FAUNA. 
common crab, the lobster, or indeed any other ; it is rarely found 
earlier than May, but from that time till the end of the fishing 
in August or September, these crabs make their appearance in 
vast numbers, to the great vexation of the fishermen ; for it is 
found that from the time those begin to enter the pots, the more 
valuable kinds considerably decrease in number ; and this is 
supposed to arise from their restless activity. No sooner are 
they in the crabpot than they are continually in motion, 
scrambling from one part to another, and in this way frighten 
the crab and lobsters and prevent them from entering. 
“ In the spring and early part of the summer they lie concealed 
beneath the sand in deep water. About May they leave their 
places of concealment, but never come into shallow water, as 
does the common crab. The latter is often found in crevices of 
rock or beneath stones left by the receding tide, but this is 
never the case with the Corwich. They shed their spawn about 
August or September at some short distance from the shore, 
most probably in the sand. In this too they differ from the 
common crab, for even when the spawn is quite mature for 
easting, they enter the pots as readily as at any other time, 
whilst on the other hand it is a very rare occurrence to catch the 
common crab with spawn, unless it be with a dredge net. It 
would seem that either they grow fast, or that the young differ 
considerably in their habits from the larger ones ; for whilst it 
is very common to find specimens measuring nine or ten inches 
in length of the carapace, it is very rare indeed to get one less 
than three inches, and a fisherman tells me that after many 
years fishing he caught one about the size of half-a-crown, 
which was the smallest he ever saw. 
“The ova when quite ready for shedding are about the size 
of a very small mustard seed, and of a reddish brown colour, 
besprinkled with dark spots. 
After keeping them suspended in sea water for twenty-four 
hours, some of the ova dropj)ed from their attachments, and soon 
after the young escajied, and this is evidently by their own 
exertion, as distinct motions were easily observable under the 
microscope while they were yet enclosed. When they first 
escape, they are as it were rolled on themselves, the caudal 
extremity being bent on the body ; but this is soon changed for 
